Cylinder relief-valve



(No Model.)

A. M. BARNUM GYLINDER EELIEEI VALVE.

ALEXANDER M. BARNUM, OF BUFFALO, NEV YORK.

CYLINDER RELIEF-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 401,47*?, dated April16, 1889.

Application tiled January l0, 1889. Serial No. 295,910. (No model.)

To ali wiz/0m t may concern:

Be it known that l, ALEXANDER M. BARNUM, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Buit'alo, in the county of Erie and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Cylinder Relief-'Talves, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in cylinder relief-valves whichare employed in steam-cylinders for drawing oft the water ofcondensation therefrom.

The object of my invention is to construct a reliable steam-trap whichshall be automatically opened and allow the water to escape from thecylinder when the latter is relieved from the steam-pressure, and whichwill be closed so as to prevent the escape of steam vfrom the cylinderwhen the latter is in operation or under pressure, thus providingaseltacting discharge device which requires no at tention on the part ofthe engineer, and avoiding the danger from negligence heretotoreincurred with the ordinary cylinder-cocks.V

My invention consists of the improvements which will be hereinafterfully described, and pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation ot myimproved steamtrap. Fig. 2 is a horizont-al section thereof in line scFig. l.

Like letters-oi reference refer to like parts in both iigures.

A represents the inclosing-casing of the trap, which is cylindrical intorni, and consists of an upper part, A', and a lower part, A2, the twoparts being connected together by a screwthread, as shown. The casing Ais provided at its lower end with a discharge-opening, Z), and at it-supper end with an inlet-passage, b', which communicates with the passagec of a three-way cock, C, arranged at the upper end of the casing. Thepassage of the cock C communicates with the interior of thesteamcylinder, and the cock is formed with a screw-.

sion, in which the diaphragm is seated, as clearly shown in Fig. l.

d is a circular discharge-opening formed in the center of the diaphragmD, and provided at its upper end with a conical valve-seat, d.

E is an air-trap arranged within the lower part, A2, of the casing Abelow the opening cl, and receiving the water of condensation iiowingthrough said opening'. The air-trap E is preferably formed on the underside of the diaphragm D, and is constructed like an ordinary sewer-trap,consisting of a bowl or receptacle having an elevated discharge-opening,e, and a wall or plate, e', the lower end of which is constantlyimmersed when there is water in the trap. The water collecting in theair-trap overflows and is discharged from the casing A through theopening b, while a portion of the water always remains in the trap,thereby preventing the cold external atmosphere from entering thesteam-cylinder through the steam-trap and t-he cock C, and hastcning thecondensation of the steam in the cylinder.

f is an automatic disk-valve arranged above the valve-seat d', and whichis closed against said seat by the pressure ot the steam in the cylinderand in the upper chamberot the casy inf" A, so as to close the opening dand prevent the escape of steam from the trap. The valve f is,V attachedto a vertical stem, g, which is guided at its upper end in a bearing, 71formed in a bridge-tree, H, secured to the upper side of the diaphragmD, and at its lower end in a horizontal cross-bar or bridge-piece, t',arranged in the air-trap E.

j is a spiral spring surrounding the lower portion of the Xf'alve-stem gand interposed between the valve f and the bridge-piece i. This springtends to force the valve upwardly away from. its seat, so as to clearthe opening I d and permit the water of condensation which hasaccumulated in the trap above the diaphragni D to escape through saidopening into the air-trap E below.

When the engine is in operation and the steam-cylinder is underpressure, the valve f is forced against its seat by the steam-pressure,and the steam is prevented from escaping from the cylinder through thetrap. As soon as the steam is shut oit from the cylinder, the valve f isrelieved from the steanr IOO pressure, and the spring j, which has beencompressed by the depression of the valve, now reacts and lifts thevalve from its seat,

opening the passage d in the diaphragm D,

and allowing any water which may collect in the cylinder and the chamberof the casing above the diaphragm to pass into the air-trap 'E, fromwhich it is discharged through the outlet-passage b of the steam-trap.

The three-way cock C is used for the purpose of closing thecommunication between the steam-cylinder and the steam-trap, so as topermit the valve f to be adjusted or repairs to be made. The cock isprovided with a lateral discharge passage or nozzle, 7c, so that thesteam may be discharged directly through said nozzle, if desired, toenable the engineer to observe whether the steam is wet or dry. The cockis preferablyso constructed that when its arm Z is in an uprightposition, as shown by full lines in Fig. l, the nozzle k will be closedand the steam-cylinder placed in communication with the steam-trap,while when the arm is turned into the horizontal position indicated bydotted lines in the same ligure the nozzle la will be connected with thesteam-cylinder and the steam-trap be cutoff from the same.

When my improved trap is employed on locomotives, the actuating arms orhandles of the shut-off cocks C of each steam-cylinder are connectedtogether, and are simultaneou sly operated from the cab like theordinary blow-off cocks.

By my improved self-acting steam-trap the water of condensation isdischarged from the cylinder whenever the engine comes to a state ofrest, and as this ordinarily occurs at least once every day all dangerof an excessive accumulation of water in the cylinder is obviated.

I claim as my inventionl. In a steam-trap for steam-cylinders, thecombination, with a casing having an inletpassage communicating with thesteam-cylinder and with a discharge-opening, of an automatic valvearranged in said dischargeopening and closed against its seat by thepressure of the steam in the cylinder, a spring whereby said valve isopened when the steampressure is removed therefrom, and an airtrapreceiving the water of condensation passing through said discharge, andwhereby the exterior atmosphere is excluded from the steam-cylinder,substantially as set forth.

2. In a steam-trap for steam-cylinders, the combination, with a casingcommunicating with the steam-cylinder and provided with adischarge-opening, of a diaphragm arranged within said casing and havinga central opening, an automatic valve applied to said opening and closedagainst the same by the pressure of the steam in the cylinder, a springwhereby said valve is lifted from its seat to clear said opening whenthe valve is relieved from the steam-pressure, and an air-trap attachedto the under side of said diaphragm and receiving the water ofcondensation passing through the opening in the diaphragm, substantiallyas set forth.

3. In a steam-trap for steam-cylinders, the combination, with a casinghaving inlet and discharge passages, of a diaphragm, D, arranged in saidcasing and having an opening, d, a valve, f, adapted to close saidopening and provided with a stem, g, a bridge-tree, H, secured to theupper side of the diaphragm in which said stem is guided, aspring, j,bearing against the under side of said valve, and the air-trap E,attachedto the under side of said diaphragm below the opening d,substantially as set fort-h.

4. In a steam-trap for steam-cylinders, the combination, with a casinghaving inlet and discharge passages and composed of two parts, A A2,united by a screw-thread, of a diaphragm, D, arranged in said casingclamped between the parts A A2, and having an opening, d, a valve, f,adapted to close said opening and provided with a stein, g, abridgetree, H, secured to the upper side of the diaphragm in which saidstem is guided, aspring, j, bearing against thc under side of saidvalve, and the air-trap E, attached to the under side of said diaphragmbelow the opening d, substantially as set forth.

5. In a steam-trap for steam-cylinders, the combination, with a casinghaving an inletpassage communicating with the steam-cylinder and with adischarge-opening, of a stopcocl: arranged in said inlet-passage, anautomatic valve arranged in said discharge-opening and closed againstits seat by the pressure of the steam in the cylinder, a spring wherebysaid valve is opened when the steampressure is removed therefrom, and anairtrap receiving the water of condensation pass- Y ALEXANDER M BARNUM.NVitnesses:

CARL F. GEYER, C. D. HowE.

IOO

IIO

